beown



(No Model.)

EQBOYDEN 8v W; H. BROWN.

SPRING HINGE.

Pawn-mamy 19, 1881.

if 6 ,ZM

` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ELRRIDGE RoYIiEN AND WILLIAM H. BROWN, on WORCESTER, MAss.

SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Aof Letterszlatent No. 244,539, dated July 19, 1881.

Application med May 26, 1881. (No model.) y

To all whom it may concern Y Beit known that we, ELBRIDGE BOYDEN andl WILLIAM H. BROWN, both of Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Double-Acting Spring-Hinges for Doors; and we declare the following to be a description of our said invention, sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thi specification. Y

The objects of our invention are, first, to prof vide a springhingemechanism arranged to operate on a single pivot or axial center and adapted for double action or for use uponl doorsopening both outward and inward, said hinge mechanism operating to'close the door from either direction and for stopping and retaining it at central position, or as desired, second, to provide means for adjusting or reg-` ulating thethrowor swing of the hinge, so that the door willstand at the required position when the hinge is .at rest 5' third, to afford facilities for convenientlyrelieving or straining the tension of the. spring, as desired, to give greater or less power `and quickness of action; and, fourth, to furnish Ymeans for the adjust- Inent of the pivot step-bearin g for supportin g the weight of the door and relieving the other parts'of the hinge from strain and friction occasioned thereby. 1 We attain these objects by mechanism constructed and organized for op'-l eration as hereinafter explained and illus-I trated, the particular subject-matter claimed being definitely specified. i n

In the drawings, Figure l represents an exterior side view of our improvedspring-,hinge as secured zto the door-frame and door. Fig. 2 is aview of the-internalmechanism, the case being divided at line w fw, Fig. l, and viewed inthe direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 3 isa vertical sectional view at line wlw, Fig,

1, with the upperv and*v lower parts separated froln the central part of the hinge. Fig. 4 is view of the top plate of the spring-cylinder. Fig.7 is a plan view of the bottom plate ofthe spring-cylinder. Fig. 8 `is a plan view of the ratchet-piece for adjustment of the spring. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the step-bearin g devices for the pivot-rod.

Ourimproved double-acting spring-hinge is composed, primarily, of the head,the foot, and the c entral sections, said central section or part containing a coiled spring with its upper and lower ends (or suitable lugs connected therewith) projecting through curved slots in the top and bottom ends of said central section, and working in connection with curved recesses and lugs in the respective head and foot sections in such manner that when the dooris swung or opened in one direction the spring will be compressed by action at its upper end, while its lower end or`1ugworks free in the recess of the foot-section; and when the door is swung or opened in the opposite direction the spring will be compressed by action atits lower end, while its top end or lug works free in the recess of the head-section. The relative Aarrangement of the several slots, recesses, and lugs is such that the spring is at a position of equilibrium or at rest between thevupper` and lower actions when the door is closedorata central position; hence thedoor swinging on a single axis and actuated by the single spring will be forced back to the position Ofcquilibrium if opened either to the right-or left and be retained at lsaid position where the hinge mechanism is at rest. In connection with these primary operating parts may be combined devices for the adjustment, connection, and support .of the mechanism, as will'beV explained.

l A denotes the central cylinder Aor section containing the spring B, Kand fitted with suitable ear pieces or leaves, A', for attachment to the door. c f

C indicates the head-section, and D the footsection, each-of which hassuitable ears, CD, for attachment to the jamb-piece V or frame. These latter may be joined together,if desired, but are preferably separate, as shown.

E indicates the pivot-rod,jwh,icli forms the central axis on which thefhinge turns. ,Said rod is arranged through` thecenter of the cylinder A and spring B, with its ends extending into the head and foot sections, as shown.

F indicates au adjusting-sleeve for supporting and regulating the spring B. Said sleeve is, in the present instance, formed in three pieces, F' F2 F3. The ends of the spring are hooked onto the parts F2 and F3 as atf. The parts F' and F2 are connected by ratchet-teeth b, so that the spring B can be strained up by turning the part F2. This can be accomplished by the aid of a small pin or bar inserted in the holes c, (see dotted line, Fig. 2,) a recess or slot, c', being formed through the cylinder A to permit access thereto, as indicated. A hole, c2, is provided for the insertion of a pin for locking the part F' in fixed position while effecting adjustment of the spring. G indicates a piece for forcing up the part F 2 and disengaging the ratchet teeth for relieving the spring from strain, this operation being accomplished by inserting a small bar through the hole g and pressing up the pin G', iirstbringing the piece G over said pin G' by such movement of the hinge as is required. The parts F' and F3, which form the bearings or working ends ofthe spring, are provided with studs or projecting lugs B2 and B', that extend, respectively, through curved slots I and J in the bottom and top plates, 1' J', of the central section or cylinder, A, and into corresponding slots or recesses, D2 and C2, formed'in the bearing-pieces of the foot-section D and head-section C, where said studs B2 and B take bearing on the lugs or shoulders c d as the cylin-l der A is turned toward the right or left, and thereby effect the compression of the spring, either with the lower stud, B', or with the upper stud, B2, according to the directionof movement. The springB presses the ratchet-teetl'll together and preserves the clutch of the parts, so that the action of the studs B B2 and the operation of the spring B is substantially the same as though said studs B' B2 were formed upon and by turning up the ends of the wire of which the spring is made, and in cases where adjustment of tension is not desired the sprin g may be so constructed and the sleeve F be omitted.

The head and foot pressure-bearing pieces, C3 D2, which hold the ends of the pintle and engage the studs B2 B' of the spring B,- are made adjustable by means of the arms C4'D4, which are Xed to and project back fromy said bearings into the space between the attaching ears C' D', where said arms connect with adjusting-screws K K', which latter can be operated when the hinge is fixed to the jamb and door. The screws K K' pass through the attaching ear-plates C D', one from the right and one from the left, their heads being at the exterior of said plates, while their points screw into nuts confined to and bearing on said arms C4D* in opposition to the spring-studs B2 B' in such manner that the operation of said screws KK serves to turn the pressure-bearin gs withintheir casin gs, causingvariation of their position in relation to the studs B' B2, andy by-carrying the lugs c d to the right or left regulate the position of the door at rest. Small screws for retaining the bearings in proper connection with their cylindrical casings are arranged as at m.

N is the pintle -bearing, consisting ot' the disk N', screw-threaded to the foot-cylinder D, and connected by studs u n to the cap N2, small springs bein g arranged beneath the heads of the studs n for pressing said disk and cap together. Astep, S, of hardened steel, on which the end of the pivot-bar rests, is set into the center ot' the disk N'. The step is raised or lowered by turning the cap -plate N2, which screws the disk up or down within the footcylinder without changing the position of the cap-plate N2 relatively to the end ot said cylinder.

The parts of the centralA section^,.A,.can be all1 securely bound together by means ot alcollar, 0, and] nut P',- arranged on thecpivot-bar E, as indicated, so thatfwhen the step-bearing is raised the entireweightof the door will rest upon saidstepS.

In securing'the hinge` to the door l andcasing or jamb frame V the partsare beveled off in the manner indicated in Figs. l, 4, and 5, to receive the flanges or screw-plates of the hinge, which may iit both sides of the woodwork, as illustrated, and a roll or bead',l W,

, correspondiu g in size to the body of the hinge,

is attached to the door or jamb betweenf the hinges, thereby forming a rule-joint f" between -the door and casing and making a neat and attractive finish.

The door may have but one spring-hinge, the others/bein g made dummy,77 or withoutthe sprin g'mechanism, ifdesired,as asin gle springhinge of our improved construction willoperate the door as required, andy provesuiiicient under all ordinary circumstances.

Inthe operation the plates I" J' andi the pressure bearings@3 D act as stops for the springjB by engaging with the studs or projecting ends B' B2. The spring isstrainedS to the proper degreei of tensionfand retained' by the limiti of the slotsll Jin thetopl and bottom plates, I `J',-thr'ougl1 which its stud'sjB2B' pass. When the d'oor is'lswung in thedirectioir indicated by the arrowsI in Figs:4 andl 6i the studl B2 is caught' by theh lugc'audA retained, the slot I permitting, while-the stud-Blis retained by the plate J' andcarried around'l in the recess D2, thus com-pressing the-spring B by action atv thetop. endf, so-that it will return the'door'untilthe studI B2 reaches the end of the slot I' and`l` thestudi B' reaches thelfugfd. These latter actas stopsfor the spring ini its top-end action,and it' the door ismoved1 past the central position or asfindicatedbytlie; arrows in Figs. 5 and-7,y asimilar action tdthat above described takes place inl the opposite direction, andl with the strain on the lower stud, B', which is thus lforcedv backin the slot J by the lug dL- Hencel the' spring devices have equal reactive power toreturn tol thev central position or to the position where the studs B2 ICO IIO

IIS

B' have equal pressure on the plates I' J and bearing-pieces G3 D, which control the action ofthe spring B and establish a position of equilibrium between the upper and lower actions, so that the hinge can be worked in either direction with equal facility and efficiency.

' If desired, our invention may be employed for a single-acting hinge by omitting the engaging-studs B' or B2 at one end and securing said end ofthe spring B in a fixed position in the case.

What we claim as of our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination', with the central cylinder, A, and pivot-bar E, ofthe end plates, I' J', having slots I J, the spring device with studs B2 B', and the end sections, C D, with adjustable bearing-pieces O3 D3, having recesses C2 D2, and stop-lugs c d, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with the spring B, of the adjustable supporting-sleeve F, carrying the studs B' B2 at its upper and lower ends, and provided with ratchet-teeth b and holes e, or `Jtheir equivalent, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the parts F' F2 in the spring-adjusting sleeve F and the end plate, J', of the block G and pin G', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the cylindrical sections C D, provided with anges C' D' for attachment to the jamb or casingV of the bearing-pieces C3 D3, provided with arms G4 D4, and the adjusting-screws K K', substantially 3 5 as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination,with the central section,

A, having the pivot bar E rigidly secured therein, and the foot-section D, with bearing D3, of the adjustable supporting-step S, hav- 4o ing its supporting-disk screw-threaded to the interior of said foot-section below said bearing, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the foot section or cylinder D and pintle E, of the step-support- 45 ing disk N @screw-threaded to said foot-cylinder and carrying the step-bearing S, the capplate N2, adapted to be revolved on the end of said cylinder, and the screws or studs n, with bearing-spings for uniting said disk and cap- 5o plate with a yielding connection, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Witness our hands this 20th day of May, A.

ELBRIDGE BOYDEN. WILLIAM H. BROWN. 

